Insincerely YourS
by NOT 80K Hikigaya
Summary: Sagami Minami still recalls the harsh words of Hikigaya Hachiman from that day. Unwilling to let it plague her any longer, she confronts him at the place where it all started. [Complete]
1. Chapter 1 - Decision

**Chapter 1 — Decision**

* * *

FUCK.

FUCK. FUCK. FUCK. FUCK. FUCK. FUCK. FUCK.

I can't believe I haven't gotten over it yet; it's been months already. I bet no one else even remembers or cares anymore. God, that just makes me sound even more pathetic.

Why him of all people? Why did he have to say those things to me? Who does he think he is?

He's a nobody, that's who!

And in front of Hayato-sama, no less! Thank heavens you were there to save me from further humiliation at his hands! Curse you, Hikigaya! Making me feel worthless! Telling me that my 'friends' had abandoned me in my time of need! I don't want your pity!

FUCK.

The worst part is that I don't have anyone that I can talk to about this.

My friends? They'll just tell me to get over it (and I really should).

Hayato-sama? With that bitch always hanging around him, I'd have an easier time teaching pigs how to fly! Seriously, that vapid cunt Miura needs to get a clue; Hayato-sama just isn't into you.

Hiratsuka-sensei? Had this occurred earlier in the school year, she might have given me solid life advice, but now I'm not so sure. She seems to be spending an unusual amount of time with Hikigaya outside of class, from repeatedly being called into her office to that stupid 'Service Club' of his.

If that loser had the balls, I'd almost believe that the two of them were having a student-teacher affair! HAH! As if that could ever happen. Even a desperate Christmas Cake wouldn't stoop so low. At the very least, she'd probably choose a partner with higher standards. Like Hayato-sama. But if she ever did that, I'd have to put her on the top of my shitlist, even above Miura and Hikigaya.

Nobody is going to come between me and my Hayato-sama.

Speaking of the Service Club (seriously, what kind of dumb name is that?), maybe I should ask Yuigahama, my former best friend? I'm no longer upset that she got deceived by that cunt, Miura. I don't _own_ Yuigahama, don't control her, don't make her life choices for her, so I can only observe her and hope she doesn't make any irreversible mistakes with catastrophic consequences.

Like crushing hard on Hikigaya, of all boys.

What the _fuck_, Yuigahama.

While I'm certainly relieved that you aren't setting your sights on Hayato-sama like literally every other girl (myself included), surely you can do better than _that_ creepy fish-eyed loner.

But rather than jumping for joy that a pretty girl is giving him attention, he goes and ignores you! ARGH! It's like he doesn't even acknowledge your feelings, let alone return them! What, does he think he's too good for you? He should be groveling at your feet for even sparing a second glance in his direction!

FUCK.

I can't even lie to myself and say he's deceiving Yuigahama, otherwise he wouldn't be so indifferent around her all the goddamn time. Even when they head off to that stupid club of theirs, he always makes it clear just how much of a chore it is for him. Is it because he's actually hoping to spend alone time with that frigid bitch, Yukinoshita? Sounds like a match made in hell frozen over.

What _does_ Yuigahama even see in him anyways? So what, he saved her dog once, at the cost of his own body, but this seems to go far beyond mere admiration and gratitude. He's not exactly the type of warm and friendly person you would mesh well with, unlike Hayato-sama. And how on earth did Yuigahama end up befriending the Ice Queen, now that I think about it? The walls she puts up between her and everyone else should be impenetrable, but you're telling me Yuigahama managed to break through? Not even Hayato-sama, perfect as he is, has achieved that!

Shit. Everything keeps circling back to him. I hate it. I hate this. I hate him.

I doubt Yuigahama will be able to give me an unbiased answer, so that's out of the question. And I certainly won't be asking Yukinoshita for advice; I'd sooner kill myself than bow down to her, like the commoner she probably views us as. Fucking bitch, acting all superior just because your family's some kind of big name.

Sigh. In the end, looks like my only remaining option is to ask him, the source of my current problem. I chuckle at the absurdity of it all. Either way, I'm going to resolve this today, after school.

I don't bolt out of my seat as soon as class ends. I subtly glance at _that_ guy; looks like he got my letter after all. I'll admit, I was worried that he would crumple it up and throw it away as soon as he saw it was from me. Now I need to head to our meeting spot, the rooftop, and wait for him to show up.

As I'm leaving the classroom, I hear overhear part of his conversation with Yuigahama.

"Hey, Yuigahama, could you tell Yukinoshita that I'll be a little late to club activities?"

"Sure thing, Hikki, but why?" That stupid pet name seems rather appropriate. [Note: Hikikomori = shut-in]

"Ah, I've just got some business to take care of first; it shouldn't take long." You and me both, Hikigaya. I want to get this over with just as much as you do, it seems. I enter the hallway and carefully avoid any familiar faces; wouldn't want them asking why I wasn't heading home directly. The less witnesses, the better. Can't have rumors spreading about me and Hikigaya, alone on the rooftop, leading to all sorts of insane theories.

I roll my eyes at the mere thought — like I would _ever_ consider dating Hikigaya. He's the complete opposite of Hayato-sama, so even if I was rejected, I would _never_ settle for _him_.

After making it to the rooftop and opening the door to the outside, I set my bag down and withdraw the one item I specifically brought with me for today's encounter: a stun gun for self-defense.

Now, I'm not saying Hikigaya is literal scum who would assault me, but a girl like me can never be too careful, alright?

The sound of footsteps approaching means that it's probably him. I hide the stun gun behind my back as best as I can, turning to face the doorway. The face of Soubu's most hated man appears, that unchanging bored look indicating he'd rather not have to be here if at all possible.

"Yo." At least greet me properly! I have a name, you know!

"Hey, yourself. Honestly, I was thinking you might not show."

He shrugs. "Well, I briefly considered the possibility that it might be a trap of sorts, like several stronger guys suddenly jumping me and beating me up, but it looks like you aren't out for revenge, at least. I take it that it's just you and me, then?" His dead eyes don't waver in the slightest. "What do you want, Sagami?"

I hate that piercing gaze of his, acting like he can see through me, read me like an open book. What's worse, if last time is any indication, he's not exactly wrong sometimes.

"Please, give me more credit than that. I know that you've somehow managed to get Hiratsuka-sensei into your corner, so if I tried any funny business, I'd be outed immediately." And to make matters worse, Hayato-sama would find out. "Also," I continue, "before you get any stupid ideas, this is _not_ some cheesy confession scenario, so don't bother psyching yourself out."

He frowns, almost as if insulted by my statement. "Even if you had lost your mind and confessed to me, I'd never accept it, since we're too incompatible to ever work out." The fucking nerve of this guy! Him, rejecting me?! When it should obviously be the other way around?!

Whoa, calm down, Sagami, getting off track here. Remember what you wanted to talk about today.

His voice cuts through my inner thoughts, "So, are you gonna tell me why you called me here today? I don't have all day, you know? Besides, after that incident, I'd have figured you wouldn't want to re-enact those same circumstances, lest they bring back bad memories for you."

Smarmy bastard. That's exactly why we're here today and you know it. I'd never interact with you outside of class if I could help it. "Unfortunately, yes, it is precisely because of that incident. You see, even though you viciously tore into me in front of Hayato-sama and my friends, I've had a lot of time to reflect. On myself, my supposed friends, Hayato-sama, Yuigahama, Yukinoshita, and even you, Hikigaya."

"If you're asking me to apologize for simply telling the truth, don't waste your breath."

I snort derisively. "Didn't I just say to give me more credit than that? I'm not _that_ stupid, OK? Getting you to apologize would be like trying to start a fire with only ice cubes. No, I realized that despite being hurt by your words, they were the sort of thing I needed to hear, even though I wasn't going to admit it at the time."

Hikigaya says nothing, apparently waiting for me to continue, so I do.

"I won't claim that I've changed drastically since then, but I am more aware of how people really see me now. I guess I was too blind to notice before."

He nods in agreement, "And yet, you still refer to Hayama as 'Hayato-sama'."

Anger rises within my chest; I try to force it down, only succeeding partially. "What is **that** supposed to mean?"

"You really are blinded by your white-horse-riding-prince ideal of him, so much so that you can't even admit that Hayama will never live up to your lofty expectations." His face still maintains a neutral expression, but it's obvious this attack on Hayato-sama's character is personally driven.

This talk wasn't supposed to be about Hayato-sama in the first place, yet I am the only one who can defend him in his absence. "Hayato-sama is a million times the man that you'll ever be, _Hikitani_." I use that nickname that I often hear Hayato-sama say, knowing full well that it gets under Hikigaya's skin. Oh, if only Hayato-sama were here to see me now!

Suddenly, Hikigaya lets out a guffaw. I do not expect it, to say the least. Even more surprisingly, he starts to double over in laughter and pain, unable to stay upright.

"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA…oh, wow. You're actually serious, Sagami. You _really_ don't know the real Hayama Hayato at all, do you? If even Miura Yumiko, Queen of Soubu, can't get him to see her as more than a friend, what chance do the rest of you girls have?" He readjusts his posture, as if the previous scene never occurred.

I growl, "Don't you badmouth Hayato-sama, you trash."

Unfazed, he continues, "I just don't know if you delude yourself into thinking his fake persona is worth chasing after."

"Shut up." My teeth and fists clench as I struggle to keep my temper in check.

"Sure, he's charismatic and has the pretty boy looks, but is he utilizing his influence it to enact change on a meaningful scale, like the student council, for instance?" Hikigaya pauses, waiting for me to answer his rhetorical question. I remain silent, so he resumes talking. "No, Hayama is unfit to be a real leader. Whenever there's a dispute, he always opts for the middle ground, never taking a stand and picking a side. That shows a lack of strong will, that he's only –"

"I said, **shut**. **Up**."

"At least I directly say what's on my mind, even at the cost of my non-existent social status. That's me: genuine. Not like you fakers and posers. Huh, I guess birds of a feather do flock together."

This asshole is getting way too full of himself. Who the **fuck** does he think he is, comparing himself favorably to Hayato-sama?

"What's your goddamn point, Hikigaya?" I'm practically snarling at this point, not that I care anymore. It's Hikigaya after all, no need for civility here.

"Sagami, you and every girl at this school are wasting your time going after Hayama. He'll never return your affections, no matter how hard you try, simply because you aren't **her**."

My eyes see red and my body moves unconsciously before I even register what's happening. The stun gun activates and I drive it straight into Hikigaya's chest. It takes around a minute for me to regain control of my senses and I finally realize he's crumpled to the ground.

FUCK.

I haven't killed him, have I? No, hang on, stun guns aren't designed to kill, right? He should still be alive, I can see signs of life as he breathes in and out. Phew, nearly landed yourself in jail there, Sagami. Good fucking job, me.

Now what? Do I just leave and hope he doesn't press charges against me later? No witnesses nor recording devices. His word against mine. I'm not the most well-liked person on campus, but he's got the nickname of 'the most hated man in Soubu' for a reason. I don't feel like taking my chances on those odds, though. He's still got Hiratsuka-sensei backing him up, after all. And Yuigahama. And possibly Yukinoshita.

FUCK.

Calm down, Sagami. Take a deep breath. Let's step back for a moment and assess the situation.

1\. Hikigaya is unconscious, The only people here right now are him and me.

2\. Hikigaya claims that Hayato-sama will never return my feelings. Hard to accept, but assuming it's true, where does that leave me? I've never even considered any other guy.

3\. I arranged this meeting to find some closure, but my frustrations seem to have increased instead. And now I have to deal with possible assault charges?

…I'm drawing a blank here. Fucking god damnit. Even when he's not awake, he's causing me stress and denying me an outlet, since my words will literally not get through to him.

…Should I just throw myself off the building and end it all now? If Hikigaya reports me, my life is over anyways. Would anyone even miss me when I'm gone? Hopefully Hayato-sama attends my funeral and gives some nice parting words.

I shake my head. Can't let myself think like that. Bad thoughts lead to bad decisions. I'm still young and have so much ahead of me. But first, I need to deal with the problem in front of me.

It's not like Hikigaya has taken all my hopes and dreams and dashed them into tiny fragments.

Just my reputation, my friendships, my future with Hayato-sama…

Then it all clicks in my head.

I should just take my frustration out on him.

Grinning, I start thinking of what I want to do to him first…

* * *

**End…?**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Long-time lurker; this is my first published story on here.

Originally, I was going to write Sagami as a Yandere (insanity driven by love), but I couldn't find a way to make her reasonably go crazy (yes, I know that is an oxymoron) for Hikigaya. You could argue that she's clearly crazy for Hayama (as evidenced by her constant 'Hayato-sama'), but I feel her emotions don't quite drive her actions. Hence, in this story, Sagami is a Yangire (psychotic if triggered).

As for what _exactly_ Sagami does to Hikigaya, well, let's just leave that to your imagination, shall we? All I can say is that it makes the Sable-car-accident look like a bug bite.


	2. Chapter 2 - Discovery

**Chapter 2 — Discovery**

* * *

"Hayama?"

"Present."

"Hikigaya?"

…

"Hikigaya?"

It doesn't matter how many times you call his name, Hiratsuka-sensei. He _won't_ be attending class today. I do my best to maintain an uninterested poker face, though no one should have any reason to suspect I have anything to do with his absence.

"Well, looks like he's not here today. Yuigahama?"

"Y-yes, sensei?"

"Could I trouble you with taking today's printouts to him, since you're a fellow Service Club member?" Real sneaky of you, Hiratsuka-sensei, setting up an opportunity for Yui to have an excuse to go to her crush's place without embarrassing her too much.

"Of course! I'm worried about Hikki, too!" Poor, poor, Yui. She doesn't know that he won't be at home today… "It's weird, though. He never showed up to club activities yesterday. Maybe he really was feeling sick?"

The worried expression doesn't leave her face for the entire morning, up until the lunch bell. I can't even focus, my own thoughts returning over and over to what I did yesterday. Not that anyone will ever know…

…or that's how it should be, but the sudden piercing scream reverberating throughout the school is a sign that someone has discovered the corpse of one Hikigaya Hachiman.

Shit. I only have myself to blame for not disposing of the body properly, instead opting to hide it behind one of the radio antenna towers, which admittedly didn't provide much cover.

It's unexpected though, since I didn't think anyone else goes up to the rooftop during lunch. In fact, it's precisely because no one frequents that place that Hikigaya sometimes hides out there! Just who is this other loner who-

Ah, now it's all clear. The owner of the earlier scream runs into the classroom, panting and out of breath, white as a ghost.

Kawasaki Saki. Rumored delinquent, sort of gets along with Hikigaya, not exactly a bad person in my books, but not a close friend neither.

"H-H-Hi-Hi-Hiki-" she stammers, clearly unnerved by what she stumbled upon. I don't blame her, waiting in line forever only to find out that the stall has sold out of curry bread can be devastating.

As if.

I know _exactly_ what she's trying to say, and eventually, Hayato-sama picks up on it as well.

"Hikigaya? You found him?" Ah, so smart, my Hayato-sama! You were able to deduce that from the stuttering wreck of a girl in front on you!

Kawasaki merely nods, all speech functions currently deactivated.

"Please lead the way, Kawasaki." As expected of Hayato-sama, taking control of the situation with his naturally high charisma! His clique (Miura, Tobe, Ebina, Yui, those other guys whose names I don't care to remember) follow him out. I do too, not out of curiosity, but to see what their reactions will be. My two so-called 'friends' join me, so I don't seem as out of place if I were to tag along by myself.

No one else seems to care enough to join, though given Hikigaya's reputation in the school, it's hardly surprising.

* * *

"Wh-what the hell is _this_?" "Oh, god, I'm going to be sick."

"H-Hikki?!" "Hikio?" "Bro?" "Hikitani?!"

A cacophony of reactions, all at once. I find it amusing that no one actually got his name correct, all while surveying the scene with a blank stare. My 'friends' point at the body and ask me, "Hey, isn't that the creep who insulted you back during the festival?"

"I-I think so, yeah." Have to react naturally, not give away my part in any of this.

"Who would do something like this to him?" cried Yui. "He never deserved anything like **this**!" she shouts, as she gestures to his face. Or more accurately, his eyes.

Or even more accurately, his eye sockets where his eyes _used to be_.

Several of the girls avert their gaze from the gruesome work of art. I don't, instead opting to step forward to get a better look. "Geez, whoever did this to him must have really hated the guy."

"Thanks for pointing out the obvious, Ms. Detective," mocked Miura. _Bitch, I will settle my score with you some day; sooner rather than later if you keep pushing me like this._

"I agree with Minami, this isn't some normal bullying incident, he was likely lured up here and attacked, far away from prying eyes," Hayato-sama hypothesized. _He agrees with me! I'm so happy I could die! Well, not yet…_

"Maybe the perpetrator gouged his eyes out with a pair of scissors?" I offer, the memories coming back to me as if they were yesterday.

Wait, it _was_ yesterday. You idiot, Sagami.

"Hmm, you may be onto something there. Alright, let's split up and search the rooftop; maybe the weapon is still here, if the culprit left it and fled!" Hayato-sama, putting that leadership role to good use; Hikigaya was wrong! Hayato-sama _can_ be a capable leader if he wants to be.

Of course, I wasn't foolish enough to commit such an obvious blunder like leaving the weapon behind. I had wrapped it in my bento handkerchief and taken it home, before throwing it out with the trash when the garbage collection trucks came by last night. They'll never find it at this rate.

As for the original letter, I was lucky that he had stashed it in his bag. If I had had to pat down his disgusting corpse searching for it, I would have left more possible traces of close-distance interaction with him, which would have difficult to explain away. I later burned the letter to ashes, removing one more piece of evidence.

Still, guess I have to participate in this farce, if for nothing else than to look good in Hayato-sama's eyes. I notice that almost no one is searching the area near Hikigaya's corpse; not wanting to interact with the other clique members, I go to that spot and start pretending to look for anything, all while sneaking glances at Hayato-sama to see if he notices my efforts.

After a good twenty minutes or so, everybody comes up empty-handed, as expected. It takes all of my willpower to suppress the urge to smirk, knowing that these amateurs aren't going to pin anything on me anytime soon. I didn't watch all those episode of that detective anime for nothing, it seems. [**1**]

"OK, I'm going to inform Hiratsuka-sensei and ask her to call the police, the rest of you should head back to class now."

Murmurs of affirmation follow, everyone still reeling from the stomach-turning scene.

What a bunch of **weak-ass bitches**.

Good thing Hayato-sama is mentally stronger than that! Another thing Hikigaya was wrong about! Geez, looks like my initial impression of Hikigaya's relationship was spot-on; it was just plain envy of Hayato-sama. Figures a depressing guy like him needed some way to cheer himself up; making up an imaginary rivalry where Hayato-sama was jealous of _him_? Wow, just wow. The lengths some people will go to in order to justify their delusions.

* * *

The gossip quickly spreads throughout the school.

"Hey, did you hear? Someone shanked that gloomy dude!"

"No way! I heard he tried to assault a girl, who fought back in self-defense!"

"Yeah? Well, I think it was a confession gone wrong, where the rejected girl killed him!"

"Wait, what? You think a girl would confess to _him_, of all people? Are you nuts?"

"He's always hanging out with those two beauties, isn't he?"

"That's obviously because he's got blackmail material on them, you moron!"

"I dunno, man. That pink-haired chick seems to legit fancy him, for some reason."

"What the hell? Now I definitely know you'll pulling my leg!"

As expected from the average student, no one has placed me at the top of the suspect list. With all of the chaos swirling around and few concrete facts to go on, I should be able to get away scot-free.

"Yumiko, why do you have such a serious frown on your face?" asks her friend, Ebina.

"It's, it's just that…even though Hikio and I never really got along, to see him like that, it's all too much to accept." She massages her temples before continuing, "I may not have liked the guy, but I would never wish that fate on him."

"I'm upset too, you know." replies Ebina.

"Really?"

"This means that HayaHachi will never bear fruit! Oh gods, why must you break up the perfect BL couple?"

"Hina!" chastises Miura.

"Look, I'm just as shocked as you are, OK? But I can't let it consume me; I've still got my own life to live, my own friends to take of. And that includes you, Yumiko. Leave it to the police, alright?"

"…Fine, you've got a point, Hina. Overthinking it won't do me any good."

"H-Hikki's gone…" Yui is the most distraught out of all of them, for obvious reasons. I wager she won't be able to move on from Hikigaya until after she graduates high school; her crush on him isn't that shallow that even his death won't stop it.

Yumiko gives Yui a comforting embrace, telling her, "It's OK, Yui. Just let it all out. None of your friends will judge you. We know how much you liked Hikio."

The dam bursts and loud wailing can be heard from the peach-haired cutie. I almost want to get up and go over there to comfort her, but stop myself for two reasons:

1\. Yui considers Yumiko a closer friend than me, so if I were to butt in, neither of them would appreciate it.

2\. I'm the reason Hikigaya is no longer in this mortal plane. Any sympathetic words I might have for Yui would ring hollow, since my dislike of Hikigaya is not exactly a well-kept secret.

And so, I elect to stay in my seat, occasionally glancing at the trio of girls, commiserating and trying to make sense of a senseless act.

_They will never arrive at the truth_.

* * *

[**POV Switch – Yuigahama**]

The rest of class barely registers in my mind. All I can think about is Hikki and how he's gone now. I need to break the news to Yukinon, if the rumors haven't already spread to her class.

Packing my things, I stand by the doorway, waiting for a certain someone.

After a few minutes, I remember that he won't be joining us for club activities anymore. I fight the urge to shed more tears; I need to stay strong, at least until I reach Yukinon.

Standing in front of the clubroom door, I knock, awaiting her response before I enter, with much less energy than I usually have. I look at Yukinon's face, and it's immediately clear that she has heard _something_ regarding Hikki's ultimate fate.

Rushing over to her, I immediately collapse and begin bawling, detailing the horrific state we found him in. She listens intently, never once interrupting me, letting me finish before finally offering her thoughts.

Yukinon takes a deep breath; calmly, she asks, "And Hikigaya-kun was clearly still alive yesterday, correct?"

I nod, wondering where she is going with this.

"That means, in the small window between yesterday afternoon and today's lunch break, someone or some people attacked Hikigaya-kun, committing the brutal crime."

Once again, I nod, trying to follow her train of thought. I was never the smartest one in the room, after all.

"I'm going to call Komachi, see if she can help us solve this puzzle."

Of course, if Hikki never returned home, then that means the crime likely took place at school.

Wait, that would mean that the culprit…is someone from our school?

* * *

[**POV Switch — Yukinoshita**]

This is too much to accept. Someone killed Hikigaya-kun? And deliberately blinded him?

I always made fun of his dead-fish eyes, but for someone to literally go that far is sickening.

He was disliked by a lot of students, but I didn't think he had any actual enemies at school. Certainly not the type to resort to extreme violence, let alone murder.

As far as I know, Hikigaya-kun is a loner, no girlfriend, so we can rule out a jealous ex-boyfriend.

Tobe? There was the Kyoto incident when Hikigaya-kun falsely confessed to Ebina in order to preserve her group dynamic. But it looks like Tobe forgave Hikigaya-kun and held no hard feelings towards him for his actions.

Hayama? He certainly feels jealous that Nee-san showers Hikigaya-kun with attention, something that Hayama has always craved from Nee-san. However, if he were the culprit, Nee-san would immediately figure out the motive, ruining any remaining goodwill she has towards him.

Someone with a crush on Isshiki? She does spend an unusual amount of time in our club, always dragging Hikigaya around to help her with errands, so it could easily be mistaken for something more romantic than it actually was. But would anybody actually get furious enough to resort to murder?

Wait, Yuigahama-san and I spend a lot of time with Hikigaya-kun as well. Spent a lot of time together, now. But the same applies to anyone with feelings of jealousy towards him regarding us Service Club members.

…I can't think of any other possibilities right now. No one else seems to have a strong enough motive against Hikigaya-kun, but I can't imagine an outsider coming to Soubu just to confront Hikigaya-kun. That in it of itself would be highly suspicious as well.

I can't help but get the feeling I'm forgetting something obvious…

But I set it aside for now, as Yuigahama needs my reassurances now more than anyone else. I am fully aware of her feelings towards Hikigaya-kun, which will not remain forever unrealized.

To be honest, I, too, may have recently become more inclined to place my faith and trust in him.

_"Please save me, one day."_

This too, will never come to pass. My heart aches, but it is quickly overwhelmed and replaced with rage.

I _will_ get to the bottom of this, if it's the last thing I do.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

[**1**] Reference to Detective Conan aka Case Closed, a long-running manga/anime. The protagonist, Edogawa Conan, is voiced by veteran voice actress Minami Takayama. No relation to Minami Sagami.

Well, this is the continuation. Several of you correctly guessed that Hachiman was killed, but I bet nobody _saw_ that one coming, eh? _Looks_ like I've also disappointed some of you who wanted Sagami to hook up with the 8man as well.

Also, I'd like to personally call out user/**narutoDkurosaki**, who said, and I quote, "_Interesting fic would like to see it evolve but I don't think you will do it_".

Well, guess what? I did, and it's published! Unless that was some tricky recursive reverse psychology, in which case, you got me. You fucking boomed me.


	3. Chapter 3 - Descent

**Chapter 3 — Descent**

* * *

I can't believe I was ever worried about being found out. It's been over a week since investigators started showing up at Soubu, trying to make sense of the abnormal crime. Between the lack of security cameras on campus and the absence of a murder weapon, all they could really do was interview and question as many students and teachers as possible.

A gigantic waste of everyone's time, I might add.

"Did you see anything? Did you hear anything?" Of course not, you amateurs.

"Can you think of anyone who might have a strong motive to harm him?" Bully him? Sure, kids are jerks. Mock him? Everyone gets a self-esteem boost in relative comparison. But murder? What is this, a cheap TV drama? We're all high schoolers here.

"Did he ever mention any threats towards his life?" That question rests on two faulty assumptions: that Hikigaya received such extreme threats and that he bothered telling anyone about them. Seeing as how little he trusted anyone else, even if he had been on the receiving end, I doubt he would have told somebody.

"We found your fingerprints near and on the victim's body. Can you explain how they got there?" I was one of the first people to go near the body after it was discovered, even examining the corpse up close, of course my fingerprints are going to be there. Same goes for my footprints.

"Is there anyone who can help shed light on this incident?" Yeah, me, but I'm obviously not going to give myself up.

"Do you know of anybody who would have incentive to lie or cover up anything related to this incident?" Again, me, but I worked alone, so it's not you can pressure my accomplices into betraying me.

I didn't mention anything about the rooftop incident; no need to volunteer information like that to draw suspicion to myself. If my so-called friends or Hayato-sama told them about it, I wasn't questioned about it, so it seems they kept their mouths shut.

**As they fucking should**.

But I'm not in as bad a mood as I would be, because of one little fact:

I received a letter from Hayato-sama, asking to meet me after school in the science lab.

Since there's no way he suspects me, it must be what I'm hoping for, isn't it? I'm positively giddy. I haven't felt this high since, well, when I lost control of myself and did _that_ to _him_.

If only it wasn't illegal and immoral, otherwise it seems to be such a good stress-reliever. The only problem is that I can't revive him and do it all over again. No Lazarus pits for me to exploit. [**1**]

Deep breaths, Sagami. Do you know how many girls would literally kill to receive a letter from Hayato-sama? Don't get ahead of yourself now. Eyes on the prize.

Impatiently waiting for the seconds to count down, I once again tell my so-called friends to go on ahead without me. I've got a date with destiny and I can't afford to miss it.

* * *

Reaching the science room, I shake the last of my nerves out of my system. Opening the door, the sunlight shines through, and for a brief moment, I can see Hayato-sama bathed in the afternoon glow.

"Hey, I, uh, got your letter, Hayato. Did you have something important you wanted to tell me?" _Like you don't already know exactly what it is, me._

"Sagami, I want you…"

My heart skips a beat. This is it, it's what I've waited for, what I've wanted for so long…

"…to know that I figured out who killed Hikigaya Hachiman."

_What?_ "Wait, I don't understand, Hayato. Why did you call me here then? Just the two of us? Shouldn't you have gone to the police instead?"

"I wanted to give the culprit a chance to turn themselves in first."

"Is that your way of showing compassion and mercy to the culprit, Hayato?"

_I'm not that stupid, Hayato-sama. I __know__ you're obviously referring to me. The only reason you __haven't__ gone to the police already is because you lack solid evidence, just as they do. Do you think your amateur high school detective roleplay was going to drive me into a corner?_

"So you just want to discuss the case with me? Why not Miura-san or Yukinoshita-san?" I try my hardest to keep the venom from being too obvious as I bite out their names.

"Yukinoshita wasn't with us when we found the body that day. You were there though, Sagami."

_What is he trying to get at?_ "Then what about Miura-san?" I ask. "She was with us, too, wasn't she?"

"Her hands are full now, trying to soothe Yuigahama's shattered heart. That girl really took it the hardest out of everybody in our group. No, perhaps in the entire school."

"So I wasn't your first choice?" I dryly inquire, wondering if he'll get the double meaning.

"No, you absolutely are number one…on my list of suspects."

I blink, forcing myself to not reel from the implications of the accusation. "Is this just because of what he said to me during the Cultural Festival?"

Hayato-sama picks up a piece of chalk and begins writing on the blackboard. 'By itself, no competent jury nor judge would take me seriously. Even for a motive, it is incredibly petty, though humans have proven time and time again that they are not above using petty reasons to commit horrific crimes."

"So what? Just because I openly disliked the guy doesn't mean I should be a suspect. By that logic, lots of students here were less-than-fond of him for various reasons as well. Why single me out?"

"I talked to your friends, Sagami. On the last day Hikigaya was seen alive, you coincidentally turned down an invite to join them for karaoke, citing a vague 'prior engagement'. Not damning evidence by itself, but it does mean you lack a solid alibi." He pauses. "That is, unless you can tell me exactly who you met with and the relevant details of the meeting."

"That's a private matter between me and whoever I met with." Technically true, though under cross-examination, it won't hold up in court.

"I expected an evasive answer from you, Sagami." He puts his hands behind his back and starts to pace around. If only Hayato-sama wasn't trying to trip me up for this crime, it would be the perfect atmos-

"One other thing, Sagami." His voice snaps me out of my reverie. "Why did you and your friends join us on the rooftop that day? Hikigaya wasn't exactly on good terms with any of you, so it obviously wasn't concern born out of friendship. Even the morbidly curious students didn't follow us up there, but you did so without any hesitation whatsoever."

I take a firm stance. "I'm not the same as I was back then, Hayato. It took longer that I'd like to admit, but Hikigaya's words, harsh as they were, eventually did get through to me. You're right, though, I still don't like the guy, but he's left an undeniable impact on me, which is why I chose to tag along with your clique." _Heh, let's see you try to refute this also technically true statement!_

He stops pacing and looks directly at me with a steely gaze. "As much as I'd like to believe that to be the whole truth, it is my hypothesis that you had an entirely different motive for joining up. By also going to the rooftop not long after Hikigaya's mysterious demise, any left behind fingerprints and footsteps from the day before could potentially be explained away. Like a tree hiding in the forest, you managed to disguise your real intent from the rest of us, fooling even me at the time."

At the time?

"I later recalled you said something rather specific, which struck me as odd at the time, though I couldn't put my finger on exactly why."

"Ah, you mean, 'someone gouged his eyes out', right? Anyone could have concluded that from a glance! I was simply the first to point it out!"

Hayato-sama narrows his eyes at me, threatening to burn a hole in my face with its intensity. "That just makes it even more suspicious. Sagami, as much as you want to claim you've changed, you and I both know that deep down, you're still a coward at heart. For you to have approached the body without hesitation when the rest of us were still anxious about the culprit being at large and in the vicinity, meant that you were absolutely certain that the perpetrator wouldn't suddenly leap out of nowhere and attack us as well. But the only way that could be true is if you or someone you knew was the culprit."

"So maybe I had an idea of who the culprit might have been. You still haven't shown anything beyond flimsy circumstantial evidence that I did it." I'm getting antsy, not because I'm worried about getting caught, but because ever since I entered the room, there has been inexplicable uneasiness that just won't go away. I had even remembered to lock the door beforehand, to ensure that no one could disturb me and Hayato-sama, though this was before I learned he was here to interrogate me.

Hayato-sama continues explaining his Swiss cheese theory, full of holes. "Going back to what I mentioned earlier, you included the words 'with a pair of scissors'. At the time, this innocuous addition didn't register, but by sheer coincidence, later in the week, I overheard you asking to borrow a pair of scissors for one of our projects. So yours were missing; a coincidence, maybe. But why specify 'scissors' in the first place? Is the supposed weapon is a sharp object, wouldn't 'knife' be the first thing you usually think of?"

Looking at what he's written on the board so far, I stymie my laughter. It's just a jumble of random loosely connected words [Grudge, Coward, Scissors, No Alibi, Eyes, etc.] Even taken all together, it's far from anything concrete.

Summarizing for his benefit, I say, "If I'm understanding this correctly, you think that I killed Hikigaya on the rooftop with a pair of scissors because of some deep-seated grudge, deliberately mixed in with your group upon discovering his body, acted in ways inconsistent with your perceptions of me, and are now asking me to turn myself in?" I pause to catch my breath. "All for a crime I didn't commit? Are you serious, Hayato?"

"When you put it that way, Sagami, of course it sounds ridiculous." He reaches down to pull out a small covered box. "But not _all_ of the evidence is merely circumstantial." He starts to put on a pair of surgical gloves, then removes the lid and lifts something out of the box.

No, wait, that can't be what I think it is…

Carefully, Hayato-sama sets a small glass jar on the nearby countertop.

Inside is the eye of one recently deceased Hikigaya Hachiman.

Eye. Singular.

_FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK_

"H-how did you get your hands on that?" Hayato-sama has been at school all day today, there's no way he had enough time to go to my place and search for something that he shouldn't even know existed in the first place.

"I actually had my eye on you from the beginning, Sagami. No, not like that. It wasn't until I discussed my doubts with Yukinoshita that we decided to take action. I'm sure you've realized by now that the letter was simply meant to lure you here, knowing full well you would show up, no questions asked, because of your obvious crush on me. Sorry to disappoint you, but this isn't to going to end the way you were hoping."

I still can't figure out how they got their hands on the jar. I had even checked last night before falling asleep to make sure it was still where I hid it. Which means someone working with Hayato-sama somehow uncovered it and relocated it here sometime between this morning and right now.

But if he only discussed this with Yukinoshita, who was also here at school the entire day, presumably based on her honor student demeanor, then who delivered it to Hayato-sama?

"I have innumerable questions for you, Sagami. Why did you kill him? Why did you cut out his eyes, keep them in a jar, and why is there only one eye?" Composing himself, he spoke, "But that should be left to the authorities. Turn yourself in, Sagami. You won't be able to wriggle your way out of this one."

_Ahh, Sagami, think. He hasn't gone to the police with the evidence yet. If you can take the jar and the eye back, you can still dispose of it sometime later, leaving Hayato-sama with the flimsiest of cases against me. No one is going to believe that I kept a fairytale-esque jar of eyes. Well, eye._

Walking around slowly, I make an exaggerated sighing motion. "Looks like I can't run away from the truth anymore. But you know, Hayato, the motive wasn't about the grudge at all."

He looks surprised to hear that. "Sagami, what other possible motive would have driven you to murder? And don't try to lie to me by saying Hikigaya assaulted you first, because I know he would _never_ do anything like that to anybody."

Tch. It wasn't like I was going to use that as a defense anyways, but the idea of me and Hikigaya having sex causes my stomach to churn.

"Honestly, I didn't intend to kill him at first. Sure, his attitude was pissing me off as usual, but I told myself that he was saying the things I needed to hear, which was more important than the things I wanted to hear." I briefly stop and turn to face away from Hayato-sama. "But then, for some reason, he started insulting you, Hayato. Saying things like you weren't fit to lead, or that you rarely pick a side and lack convictions, or that you would never return any of our affections. Not Miura's, not Isshiki's, not mine."

Hayato-sama looks horrified as the words spill from my mouth. "That stuff he said about me; _that's_ what set you off? Couldn't you have just brushed it off as being jealous of me?

"That's what I told myself at first, but he just wouldn't stop talking shit about you, telling me that I was chasing after an idealized prince that didn't exist in reality. Even after telling him to shut up, he continued to mock you relentlessly. I-I had to defend your honor, Hayato-sama! Please understand!"

"You killed him! What on earth made you think I would have wanted any of that to happen?" Why is Hayato-sama shouting at me?

"I thought you'd be glad that the living eyesore wouldn't bother you anymore!" I scream back.

"Just where did you get that idea, Sagami?"

"Every time the two of you interacted, there was never a friendly air between you two. It was always tense and you rarely smiled!"

"You were watching us all this time, Sagami?"

"Hayato-sama can never be too careful! Who knows if one of the girls went crazy and attacked you? Who would swoop in to save you then?"

"You've the crazy one here!" He's panicking now, almost fearing for his life.

"If by 'crazy', you mean 'crazy in love'! All's fair in love and war, Hayato-sama".

"Stop calling me '-sama'! That's just adding to the creepiness, especially coming from an admitted killer!" He tries to back up away from me as much as he can, but his back hits a corner. "Sagami, I really didn't want to do this, but you leave me no choice."

"Oh? And what do you plan to do, Hayato-sama? Do you have a weapon hidden on you somewhere?" _Maybe in your pants?_

"All those things Hikigaya said about me?"

"Yeah, what about those lies and falsehoods?"

"Every single one of them is true, Sagami." He hangs his head in shame, though whether from admitting that he isn't perfect or admitting that _he_ was right is not immediately clear.

"No, I can't accept that. Hayato-sama is perfect. Hayato-sama, he even went so far as to claim you were jealous of him! There's no way that could possibly be true!" I'm not in denial! This has to be another trap!

He looks away, refusing to meet my gaze. "The reason you and nearly everyone else didn't notice is because I've spent an inordinate amount of time and effort creating the ideal appearance and personality that everyone expects out of me. Only a select few even know that I wear a mask at all."

"But you really are super popular, so what could Hikigaya possibly have to make you jealous?"

"He wasn't bound by social conventions, having been cast aside by his peers early on. He was free to say what he really thought, unlike me, who has to watch every word, lest my family catches wind and gives me hell for not upholding the Hayama family name. My popularity is simultaneously a blessing and a curse, adding extra pressure from all sides to act in accordance with society's demands, forever limiting my personal expression options."

I give Hayato-sama an odd look, disbelieving what I'm hearing. "You envied his freedom, despite the isolation it came attached with?" I cannot understand why anyone would deliberately choose to be unpopular.

"More so that than, I was envious of how his few relationships were more genuine that the numerous superficial ones I was part of. Especially with Yukinoshita…"

Was Yukinoshita the sole girl that Hayato-sama had eyes for? Was that part of the jealousy Hikigaya mentioned?

"And now you are one of the few who know the real me, Sagami. Congratulations. All it took was committing a serious crime. Now forget about your crush on me and turn yourself in. I won't repeat myself."

_No, no, no! If Hayato-sama isn't the prince I've thought about him as this whole time, then everything up to this point will have been for nothing! My high school life, joining the Cultural Festival committee, getting even with Hikigaya…_

At that moment, I look up and see _his_ eyes overlaid over Hayato-sama's own.

Eyes that shouldn't be able to see anything anymore.

Eyes that shouldn't be able to pierce my soul.

Eyes that should have already been plucked out.

_Don't look at me like that. __**Don't look at me like that. **__**Don't look at me like that.**_

Without warning, I suddenly tackle Hayato-sama, causing his head to conk against the counter and knocking him out cold.

I _could_ take the jar and run. Or…

Realizing the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I begin undressing.

"He he he. I get it now, Hayato-sama. _He's_ somehow possessed you, maybe when you picked up the jar. Don't worry, I'll purify your body and soul.

**And then you'll be all mine.**"

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

[**1**] In the Batman comics, one of his recurring foes, Ra's al Ghul, frequently uses Lazarus Pits to cheat death and come back to life. The downside is that not only does he come back with a bout of insanity, but each pit can generally only be used once, requiring him and his followers to search for a new one each time.

Next chapter is going to be the last one.

In other news, [**Sagami M.**] is now a selectable character tag. No need to thank me all at once.


	4. Chapter 4 - Denouement

**Chapter 4 — Denouement**

* * *

[One omitted non-consensual sex scene later]

Well, that could have gone better. For instance, if Hayato-sama was more responsive and not out cold. Doesn't matter though; we were each other's firsts, so Miura and all the other girls will have to live with that fact.

Reluctantly separating our lower halves, I clean myself up and begin putting my clothes back on. I even contemplate preserving this moment with a memento, but I'll just have to settle for these shared memories between the two of us. _Don't worry, Hayato-sama, I'll make sure to clean you up afterwards as well._

Suddenly, a slow clap resonates throughout the room. I know for a fact that the door was locked after I came in, and anyone trying to enter after that should have made more noise. Whirling around to find the source, I freeze when a silhouette emerges from the other corner of the room.

Stepping out of the shadows, I find myself face to face with none other than the bitch who played me for a fool during the Cultural Festival, Yukinoshita Haruno.

What the FUCK is **she** doing here?

"Bravo, Sagamin~. I didn't think you had it in you to cross that line." Her sarcasm makes me wonder if the Haruno from that other time was merely a mask she wore.

"Don't act so familiar with me, you fucking bitch." _If not for you, Hikigaya might still be alive._ It doesn't escape me that I literally killed him, but I'm not to blame for the root cause.

"'Fucking bitch', huh? That's a pretty apt description of you, at least from Hayato's point of view." She casually takes my words and throws them back in my face. "Course, you probably traumatized him for life with your little act of selfishness, but what do you care, Sagamin~?" She keeps taunting me with that nickname that she has no right to call me by.

"You could have tried to stop me at any time, rather than hanging back and enjoying the show. Or did you not intervene precisely _because_ you like to watch?" It's pretty clear that the elder Yukinoshita is an S-type. [**1**]

"Oh, believe me, if Hayato had screamed for help, I would have been the first to rush over and save his precious thing from being taken by you," she proclaims in a mock-indignant tone. She then grins, following up with, "However, not only did he not shout, 'Save me, Haruno! You're my only hope!" but I'm also not his guardian. Therefore, I can't be held responsible, even if this does technically make me an accomplice to a serious crime."

I exhale, only slightly relieved that she isn't going to come after me as revenge for Hayato-sama. "So, what happens now? You obviously overheard everything, I bet. Did you happen to bring a recording device to later bring to the police as evidence?" Unlike my last encounter with a still-alive Hikigaya, I didn't have my stun gun on me at the moment, having left it in my bag back in the classroom.

"Ha! I should have thought of that!" Haruno makes an exaggerated hand-smacking motion to her forehead, the sound resounding through the mostly empty room, population: three. "Rest assured, Sagamin~, I'm not here to turn you in or to even ask you to turn yourself in." _Good, because I intend to avoid going to prison at all costs, even if the roadblocks keep increasing._ "I just came here for some answers, that's all."

I don't buy it for a second, but if I can bluff my way out of this, I can still keep my freedom. I don't know if this is actually a ploy for her to buy time until the authorities show up, but I don't have any other options right now.

"Before I answer your questions, tell me something: was it you who delivered the jar to Hayato-sama?"

"100 points! Gosh, you're such a smart girl, Sagamin~." That nickname from her again.

I keep my distance from Haruno, though she isn't making any obvious advances to close the gap or approach Hayato-sama's prone body. "How did you even know that it existed? Let alone where it was?" I wasn't the most oblivious teenager; if someone was following me home, I think I would have noticed!

Haruno twirls in place, meaninglessly, her playful mood at direct odds with the tense atmosphere. Maybe only I was feeling the tension; after all, I didn't exactly have a weapon to threaten Haruno with. "Technology is a wonderful thing, wouldn't you agree?"

"What?"

"You'd be surprised at how much detail a drone-mounted camera can capture these days!"

This sounds like something out of a cookie-cutter spy thriller. "You were spying on me? Invading my privacy?" I know that my crimes pale in comparison, but acting, no, being indignant is the only way hypocrisy won't swallow me up.

"Not just you, Sagamin~. We deployed dozens of them, but your place was the one that gave us pause." So she just cast a very wide fishing net, with absolute disregard for the other innocent parties, all just to find me, the culprit. "Once we zoomed in and found an optical match to Hikigaya's missing eyes, we sent a 'professional' to retrieve the object without alerting the neighbors."

FUCK. She's willing to throw her weight around and use all her family connections in this search. What kind of monster am I up against? I bet she could literally get away with murder!

I try to think of another retort, something, anything, to break this stifling silence. She clearly has much more she wants to say, but she's waiting for me to make the next move, denying me the option of passing. I wonder if this is a setup for her to blackmail me, but honestly, there's not really all that much she can extract from me, given our relative social standings.

I could probably easily outrun her, especially since she's wearing high heels. But I would at least need to take the jar with me. The lone eye, coincidentally looking in our direction, silently judges us, but I don't believe in the supernatural, so there's no worries about being cursed by his spirit.

But one thing still isn't adding up. As far as I know, Haruno's family has no strong ties to Hikigaya's family, so this isn't out of that kind of social obligation. Sure, it seemed like she teased him that one time during the festival, but I seriously doubted they were in a secret relationship. She wasn't just out of his league, she was out of his stratosphere.

"Why would you go so far for him?" If she answers, 'He was my lover,' I might just throw up then and there.

"Let's just say I find, well, found him intriguing." What a vague non-answer, doesn't give me anything to work with. "He is, was, different from the other guys, who clearly didn't see my as anything more than a trophy to be won, a challenge to be conquered." She chuckles, apparently thinking back to some memories of their interactions. "In fact, he might have actually been the only man to not cherish the attention I gave him! Can you believe that?"

"Maybe he didn't want to deal with the constant jealousy from those around him." I can't believe I'm entertaining this dumb idea of them together. "He's not exactly well-liked to begin with."

"Funny you say that, because I initially thought Hayato had finally snapped and taken his rage out on Hikigaya." She gestures to Hayato-sama, like there was any possibility I would think she was talking about _another_ Hayato. "But I immediately came to my senses and realized that Hayato is too weak-willed to ever do something like that."

The feeling of déjà vu causes me to shake my head, not liking the direction of this conversation.

"What do you mean, that Hayato-sama was a suspect?" It's true that he didn't get along with Hikigaya, but that doesn't mean Hayato-sama would ever stoop to such lows.

Again, I dryly note the irony of these thoughts coming from me.

"Did Hikigaya ever tell you about why Hayato doesn't have a girlfriend, despite his high stats in every relevant field?"

I think back to the rooftop conversation, how Hikigaya mentioned that Miura, annoying satellite that she is, had had no success in getting Hayato-sama to see her in a romantic light. How I, and the rest of the non-competition, would also never win Hayato-sama's heart. How I had told Hikigaya to **SHUT THE HELL UP**.

At first, I had thought the 'her' in 'simply because you aren't **her**' was referring to Yukinoshita Yukino, the younger of the two sisters. With Hikigaya out of the way, (thanks to yours truly), one would have expected the development where he goes to provide emotional comfort to Yukino, who, despite her Ice Queen exterior, ostensibly still has a human heart. But it seems that didn't happen.

So why is Haruno telling me that Hayato-sama could snap? There's no other girls he could be interested in that happened to be interested in Hikiga-

…

…

…Are you FUCKING kidding me?

**_Haruno_** is the girl that Hayato-sama is interested in?

So that means Hayato-sama really _was_ jealous of Hikigaya over something, or someone is this case?

I can't reconcile these facts in my brain. This can't be real. Haruno must be playing tricks on me!

I take a step back, careful not to trip over Hayato-sama and damage him. Haruno hasn't said anything since, simply staring at me in amusement. _Bitch, your mind games won't work on me this time_.

"My question remains unanswered, Haruno." That's the first time I refer to her by name out loud. "Hikigaya doesn't sound like he was a close friend of yours, let alone anything more than that. You don't seem particularly motivated to help Hayato-sama, either." Now it sounds like I'm the one playing amateur detective!

"Really?" she exclaims. "All these hints and you _still_ haven't pieced the puzzle together yet? I thought you were brighter than this, Sagamin~." I notice her tone has changed into something slightly more unhinged. "Hikigaya was a playful distraction from the constant ennui of life. A rare toy that offered a more unique experience than others. But now that he's gone, I need to find a new to fill the void left behind."

This woman is dangerous. Bad news. I can see why Hikigaya tried to avoid getting involved with her, as futile as that was.

"Hayato _used_ to fill that role, but he tries too hard in all the wrong places, which I quickly tired of." She glances at the boy, still in an indecent state, shaking her head. "And after today, he's definitely not going to be of much use to me anyways."

_Why is she telling me all this_? I can't be certain, but I know her intentions for me are anything but positive. She isn't out for justice nor vengeance, which I might have had a chance to reason with her.

No, she's doing this for her own selfish gratification.

"And that's where you come in, Sagamin~." Haruno inches closer and closer, but at a glacial pace, almost daring me to make a sudden movement.

I avoid spouting the cliché line, "Stay back!" because every time a character says that, of course the opposite is going to happen. I slowly back away and sidestep, never breaking eye contact.

"**You're** going to be their replacement, one for the price of two."

_What am I, a doll_? I stumble over nothing, barely catching myself on a table to regain my balance. Was all of this a trap? Did Haruno expect Hayato-sama to fail to convince me? Was this her Plan B?

"You _really_ should've listened to Hayato when he gave you the choice to turn yourself in."

Five minutes ago, I would've responded with a "HELL NO", but now, I'm not so sure this is much better. Is Haruno going to kill me right here, right now?

"But this is so much more fun for me, seeing you come to the realization yourself." To my horror, the gap is now half as much as it was before Haruno dropped all pretenses.

"Ha…ha. I don't swing that way, Haruno. You witnessed that firsthand, right?" My heartrate is rapidly increasing, the adrenaline pulsing through my body, my mind screaming at me to put as much distance between me and this demon.

"Oh, don't be mistaken, Sagamin~. What you did to Hayato is just barely the tip of the iceberg of what's in store for you."

I'm confident that there is still a chance for me to escape, but that is dashed almost immediately when Haruno takes out a small object and slams it into me. The electricity courses through my body, my mind recognizing the irony of a stun gun being used against me.

"You know what they say, Sagamin~."

The last thing I see before everything goes black is Haruno's maniacal grin.

"**An eye for an eye.**"

* * *

**END?**

**Author's Notes:**

[**1**] S = Sadist, as opposed to M = Masochist.

This originally started out as a one-shot (what is now Chapter 1). Had I left it at that, I might have been satisfied with the open-ended nature of what exactly happened to Hachiman.

Just between you and me, the final pun is what spurred me to write a continuation. There isn't much to work with as far as a potential sequel goes, but after I get more stories out of the way, I may come back to tweak and tune this one.

I doubt any of my future stories will be as edgy and grimdark as this one. (With exactly one known exception)

Shoutouts to u/shadbin10.

[1/3]

* * *

**Epilogue**

* * *

[**POV Switch — Yukinoshita**]

In the end, the authorities never found the culprit behind Hikigaya-kun's brutal murder. Without any leads, they deemed the case unsolved and stopped appearing on school grounds.

The funeral service was attended by a small group, mainly family and those who we met and helped through the Service Club. Komachi took her brother's death especially hard, her wailing echoing into the heavens, where Hikigaya-kun's spirit now resided.

Gradually, most of the students and teachers returned to their previous routines, unfazed by the loss of one student.

_Two_ students, actually.

It seems that, coincidentally, after Hayama's confrontation with Sagami, she stopped coming to class. The official explanation was that her family had moved away due to her parent's work, but I wasn't buying that suspiciously timed disappearance. However, whenever I tried to ask Hayama about what exactly had transpired that day, he would always shrink back in terror and curl up, sobbing quietly. I hope he gets the necessary professional help he so desperately needs.

Yuigahama has lost much of her former zest, knowing that the Service Club will just be the two of us for the foreseeable future. It doesn't help that Hikigaya-kun's sudden death deters any prospective members from even considering our club, rumors of a curse floating around.

Isshiki doesn't come by as often, not just because her servant is gone, but also because she, too, sometimes breaks down and just cries her heart out. I greatly sympathize with both girls, though I put on a brave front for their sakes and to give them a shoulder to cry on.

_I_ need a shoulder to cry on, but I have no one to turn to.

Nee-san knows more than she's letting on, but I cannot get a straight answer out of her. That, more than anything else, frustrates me to no end. Being denied the closure I seek, the forbidden knowledge that is just out of reach, drives me crazy. She knows _something_. And I bet my life that it's whatever ties Hikigaya-kun, Hayama, Sagami, everything together.

She tells me, "Need not to know," as if this somehow wasn't something I have a very personal stake in.

She tells me, "Ignorance is bliss," as if the pursuit of knowledge is something I haven't been instinctively doing my whole life.

But, more than anything, whenever I talk to Nee-san over the phone, I swear I hear something that sounds like whimpering. I know that she doesn't raise any pets, and that her social life does not include bringing people over, preferring to not let anybody get to close to her.

The last time I heard it, I wanted to bring it up, ask if she had simply left her television on too loud.

But it didn't sound like it came from a program.

And that scared me immensely.

I don't know if Nee-san has changed since the incident. I don't know what Nee-san is thinking. I don't know what Nee-san is planning.

All I know is that Nee-san is right: some things are better off left in the dark for my own good.


End file.
